There are an array of issues – foreign and domestic – facing our country. Affordable housing, the growing issue of monopolization of numerous industries – including the continued consolidation of manufactured housing – are among them.
But the mutual throwdown Wednesday between the 45th president and the Democratic Congressional leader continues to agitate Washington, which in turn will roil others. That could well have repercussions for our industry, along with others. We’ll return to that note, further below the following narrative.
While former President Barack Obama is among those who clearly hold sway, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (CA-D), is the de facto leader of the Democratic party, given that her role makes her the top elected official in the federal government.
With a split Congress, the House is under Pelosi’s Democratic leadership, while the Senate is guided by GOP Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (KY-R), bipartisanship is obviously necessary in order to pass legislation.
On paper, President Donald J. Trump’s position on protecting U.S. jobs – including union positions – plus interest in infrastructure, ought to line up well with several traditional Democratic positions. Not unlike the late President Ronald Reagan, Mr. Trump is a former Democrat.
But the highly partisan nature of Washington today appears to have gridlock as a higher priority than getting necessary issues done, such as immigration, the border, more tax reforms, and other items that could boost employment, raise incomes naturally through supply/demand, and be good for international issues such as trade.
With that brief backdrop, Thursday on “Fox & Friends,” Donald Trump, Jr., son of President Donald J. Trump, provided his reactions to comments by Speaker Pelosi. In response to her saying she is “praying” for the country and the president, while talking about impeaching him, Don Jr. said this.
The president’s son blasted claims about coverups. He said there was no collusion, there was no obstruction, so what is there to cover up?
Among the zingers from the younger Trump son, he called Democrats the “party of infanticide” and questioned if they are truly “praying for anyone.”
Ouch.
Certainly, there are some pro-life Democrats, plus others who oppose late-term abortions. That noted, Don Jr. said, “I don’t think the party of infanticide is exactly praying for anyone,” Trump said. “That’s not what they do. We get that. It’s just a constant attack on American values, on Democracy.”
He continued, “Honestly, this election, 2020, it’s about communism versus freedom. You can choose.”
Nancy Pelosi said this morning that when the ‘stable genius’ president is ready to work with her, she is ready to work with him. Time will tell if deeds follow those words.
Don Jr’s Points, Warren Buffett, and Manufactured Housing
Whatever your view on the abortion issue, it should be noted as a matter of record that Warren Buffett, a prominent Democratic backer who leads Berkshire Hathaway, is a serious backer of pro-abortion and other leftist positions. To learn more, see the related reports, including a pro-Buffett docu-drama video, at the links below.
Furthermore, Buffett’s more recently been documented to support – through so-called dark money channels – nonprofit groups that in turn have attacked various manufactured housing industry interests.
Rephrased, Buffett’s manufactured housing companies, such as Clayton Homes, are backing the nonprofit trade association, the Arlington, VA based Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) plus he backs the opposition to the industry.
None of the powers that be, which have been asked to react to that allegation have denied the evidence.
One of the claims made by Donald Trump, Jr. about hundreds of millions dying as a result of socialist and communist actions, is backed up by third party research. See that in the related report, further below.
Which begs the question, why has Buffett often backed leftist causes?
It should be noted that big business can sustain such politically fueled headaches more readily than small business. Furthermore, complex:
- Tax laws,
- Regulations,
- Access to credit, capital, and financing,
- Plus the ability to withstand negative media,
are all arguably easier for big business to endure than small business.
Put differently, Buffett and his buddies – by chance or otherwise – can benefit from gridlock in the sense that it tends to harm smaller operations more than his. It is one more headwind, that can cause a fatigued professional to say, ‘that’s it, I quit.’ Thus, the “Rope-a-Dope.”
It takes two to tango in Washington, but the current scenario is vexing to those who desire growth, as many independents in manufactured housing earnestly desire. Manufactured housing is poised for serious growth, but what a growing body of evidence suggests that HUD Secretary Ben Carson and others – third parties who have studied the industry for years – have praised is woefully underperforming.
The Trumps are builders, developers, and investors by trade. The president has visited a manufactured home community, something his predecessor is not known to have done. His HUD Secretary wants to end the secret about manufactured housing, yet MHI mysteriously fails to even mention the speech made to their group – over two weeks ago? Is that garden-variety incompetence? Or is it shrewd corruption, designed to help ‘big boys’ consolidate smaller firms?
As MHProNews and Manufactured Home Living News first reported to the industry’s readers, the Trumps have had interests in factory-built housing. The Manufactured Housing Association for Regulatory Reform on its home page has a quote that makes the point that the 45th president is almost tailor made for the industry.
But more than 2 years into the Trump administration, the progress has been slow, though the verbal support is there. Why is that?
There is evidence, including from the Washington Post, that suggests that MHI has postured support for regulatory reductions, but has arguably worked to slow-walk or effectively redirect energies that could lead to significant manufactured home industry growth.
Federal investigators are already investigating some of these issues related to Clayton, their lenders, and MHI, as the news video above reminds us.
But what the next step must include is shining public spotlight on this vexing issue. Congress could be well suited for that by holding public hearings.
As 2020 is on the minds of politicos, we’ll see what, if anything, happens on those issues in the coming weeks. That’s tonight’s final episode of “News through the lens of manufactured homes, and factory-built housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (News, analysis, and commentary.)
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Submitted by Soheyla Kovach to the Daily Business News for MHProNews.com.
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